Constitutional Monarchy Flashcards
August Decrees (date)
5-11 August 1789
August Decrees (terms) - 4 key ideas
END OF FEUDALISM
Tithes, venal offices, privileges abolished
Equal taxation
All citizens would be eligible for all offices
One thing that angered the peasants about the August Decrees
Had to pay compensation for the loss of feudal dues (however, this was never really enforced and was actually abolished in 1793 anyway)
Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen (date)
26 August 1789
Article 1 of DRMC
All men are born free and equal
Article 2 of DRMC
Every man has the right to liberty, property, safety and resistance to oppression
Article 3 of DRMC
Sovereignty lies with the people
Article 17 of DRMC
Freedom to own property
Article 10 of DRMC
Freedom of religious belief
Article 13 of DRMC
Taxation = proportional to one’s means
Article 11 of DRMC
Freedom of speech
Article 6 of DRMC
Equality before the law
France was divided into administrative departments
83 departments, subdivided into 547 districts
Local government into Paris was divided into Sections
48 Sections
Active and Passive Citizens introduced
December 1789
Passive Citizens
Had the rights of the DRMC but could not vote as they did not pay sufficient tax
Active Citizen (level 1)
People who could vote - over 25 years and paid more than 3 days worth of labour in local taxes
Active Citizen (level 2)
Electors - paid over 10 days
Active Citizen (level 3)
NA deputies - paid a marc d’argent = 54 days
% of French who could now vote in some way
61% (compared to 4% in England)
Three new direct taxes introduced
January 1791
- contribution foncière - land tax with NO EXEMPTIONS
- contribution mobilière - tax on movable goods
- patente - tax on commercial profits
Free grain trade introduced
August 1789
Internal tariffs abolished
October 1790
Guilds abolished
1791